Antonio de la Rosa (October 31, 1931, in Sarita, Texas – June 2, 2004) was an influential tejano musician. He was noted for producing dynamic and harmonic accordion runs on the two-row button accordion.[1]

De la Rosa's recording session took place in 1949 for Arco Récords of Alice, Texas.[2] De la Rosa introduced several important innovations into conjunto music, including the practice of slowing polka tempos down to 110–115 beats per minute, as well as the use of amplified bajo sexto and bass.[3][4] He was hired by Ideal Records in the early 1950s to be their staff accordionist.[5] He left Ideal in 1955 in order to lead his own band.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Ramiro Burr The Billboard Guide to Tejano and Regional Mexican Music 1999 Page 79 0823076911 " With his two-row button accordion producing dynamic and beautifully harmonic accordion runs, Tony De La Rosa helped popularize the tradition-bound conjunto ..."
  2. ^ Hickenbotham, Gary (2004). "A History of the Texas Recording Industry" (PDF). Texas State Ecommons. Berkeley Electronic Press. pp. 10–11. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  3. ^ Laurie E. Jasinski Handbook of Texas Music 2012 0876112971 "During his career, De la Rosa introduced several important innovations into conjunto music, including the use of amplified bajo sexto and bass and the practice of slowing polka tempos down to 110—115 beats per minute, as opposed to the ..."
  4. ^ Manuel H. Peña Música Tejana: The Cultural Economy of Artistic Transformation 1999 - 0890968888 "Among these was Tony de la Rosa, from Sarita, Texas, outside Corpus Christi, whose clean staccato articulation in the performance of the polka became the hallmark of the tejano style (see, for example, "Atotonilco," on the LP The Texas ..."
  5. ^ a b Ragland, Cathy (2009). Música Norteña: Mexican Migrants Creating a Nation Between Nations. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-59213-746-6.